Greater New Orleans

U.S. stock futures fall on concern over Europe's banks

U.S. stock futures are falling as the European debt crisis once again becomes the key driver of market sentiment. Stock markets in London, Germany and France have declined amid renewed concerns about the state of Europe's banks. The euro has dropped to a 15-month low against the dollar.

Positive economic news propelled U.S. stocks to a big rally on Tuesday. Those gains held Wednesday as automakers reported strong sales in December. But Thursday investors are again worried about problems at European banks and the potential impact on Europe's economy.

Less than two hours before trading opens in New York, futures on the Dow Jones industrial average are down 65 points to 12,291. Futures for the broader S&P 500 index have fallen 8 points to 1,265.